My Pride & My Hero

Chapter 5

My memories flashed through my head like filmstrips from a movie. My eyes swam in tears as I remembered every lingering detail. Every straining force I made, every painful cry for help, every inch of hope lost. I remembered not only the scenes but also the feeling. I was woken up by a repeated tugging and when I finally opened my eyes, I was stunned with the sight of Yunlan who's now cupping my face with one hand while wiping the stray tears with the other.

"Shhh. Don'tcry. It was all just a bad dream, it'll pass," he said reassuringly. "Here put this on to help soothe your senses." Yunlan carefully placed his headphones to my ears, adjusting it gently in my ears.

Then it hit me like a bullet train. I looked up to Yunlan with wide eyes and slightly dropped jaws. Tears were triggering to fall again but Yunlan catches them with his thumb on time as he smiled his genuine warm smile. The same song from my dream was now playing through the headphones. The same song, looping through my memory since that day.

"I-I-it w-was you....." I sat straight in my bed and held Yunlan's hand. "It was you....you were the one who saved me. It was you who helped me calm down. How could I forget the one who saved me and gave me a new life. I am so sorry, I didn't mean to forget you. I cannot believe myself I forgot my life saver. I am really very sor__ "

I could feel Yunlan's forefinger on my lips shutting my blabbering mouth. "Shhhh.....calm down, You did not forget me Wei. Your memory was just clouded and your memory was messed up"

"But still, I haven't thanked you at all for what you did for me. I didn't even get the chance to know the person who saved my life"

"You still have a chance to know me, isn't it?"

"Thank you Yunlan. Thank you very much for saving my life back then"

"It was my pleasure. I couldn't ignore a person who was drowning"

"Haha, but I am still thankful that you were there at that time. I had lost hope when no one could hear me as it was late at night"

"Indeed it was, I don't understand why you were there so late at night and how did you drown?"

"I.......I actually don't remember. I don't remember why I was near the sea at that night nor how I fell into the water"

"That's alright, you do not have to stress about it. Since you are fine and back at your home"

I smiled at him for his kind words "I....uhmm....I wanted to ask you something"

"What is it?"

"Do you know about my......uhmm...my..."

"Your sickness?"

"Yes!"

"I do......"

"Don't you feel anything towards me?"

"Do you want my sympathy?"

"NO! No! I got tired of everyone looking at me with sad eyes and shower all their sympathy towards me. I don't like it"

"Well, I thought so!"

"Why?"

"Hmm? What?"

"Why did you act as you don't know me when I saw you in front of your house?"

"Well, after the incident I saw you many times but you always ignored me."

"Whaat? I wouldn't do that...I am not that kind of person. I had forgotten about you"

"Well, I know but I didn't knew you forgot about me. I thought you just ignored me and didn't even appreciate for saving your life"

"Yunlan, I____"

"Wei, I know so it's okay. Since you remember me now I am happy"

Yunlan gives me a bright smile and it automatically brings a smile on my face. We both get out of bed as its already morning and have breakfast together. Since it was Monday it was school time. I got ready for school and saw that Yunlan was lazying around on the couch.

"Are you not getting ready? We are late for class"

"I am not going, I need to look for a place to sleep"

"Why don't you consider the offer I gave you?"

"What offer?"

"You didn't hear a single thing last evening did you? I have a friend who is looking for a roommate, you can stay with him for a while"

"I don't have any money to offer your friend as a rent"

"No need to worry about that, I will talk to him"

"No Wei, that is not right!"

"Yunlan, you saved my life. This is the least I could do for you"

"Are you sure Wei? Your friend won't mind?"

"My friend is a cool guy. He won't say no to me. So, let's go to class now and we can go to see the apartment together"

"Okay....ummm...."

"What is it?"

"I don't have my school uniform with me"

"Why don't you get it from your home. It's not that far away"

"Uhh...I don't have one at home"

"What? Why don't you have it?"

"My mother burned my uniform"

"WHAAAT? WHY?"

"I.....I don't wanna talk about it. Because of that I couldn't attend my classes much"

"You didn't attend classes because you did not have a uniform?" Yunlan nods his head "I thought you hated coming to class so you always skipped it"

"I love going to class and studying with everyone"

"Don't worry, you can wear my spare uniform for now"

"Bu_______"

"No talking we are getting late hurrry up!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I had to force Yunlan to wear my spare uniform and my Butler was ready outside with his car. We were dropped to our school and we made it in nick of time before the school gate closed.

"That was close!"

"Indeed, it was"

"Let's go, we have same schedule you can come with me. I will introduce you to my friends"

"If that's Okay with you!"

"Ofcourse it is Yunlan, come on"

I held his wrist and tugged him along with me. We ran to our class and made it before the teacher could arrive.